Macattack's Top 50 Songs of 2019
Mar 4, 2020 23:22:12 GMT -5
Post by macattack on Mar 4, 2020 23:22:12 GMT -5
If I had known about this forum, this would have been posted long ago. Sorry.
I plan on eventually going back to 1980 and working my way forward, but for now, here's my favorite songs from 2019. I'm not going to make you guys wait with baited breath for the whole list at this point, so I'm going to give you guys the whole list in this post.
Some basic rules:
1. Singles released in 2019 from 2018 and 2020 albums are eligible for the list. Album cuts are from 2019 albums ONLY. For example, this is why "I Never Liked Your Friends" is not on the list, as it was released in 2016 and not meaningfully remixed or remastered.
2. I do have a rock/alternative/metal bias. Subsequently, anything not from those genres that make this list are really damn good and check them out please, thank you.
3. One song per artist only. The artist can also feature on one other song.
4. Release cutoff date was December 1st, 2019.
Alright, here we go!
Scattered Thoughts:
50. "To The Ground" - Death Cab For Cutie
If this had come out in 2018 this would've been in the 30s or even the 20s, but 2019 was a much stronger year for music, so it winds up here. It's the strongest song Death Cab's had in years.
46. "Father of All..." - Green Day
I interpret this as a Foxboro Hot Tubs track released under the Green Day name, which is probably why I like it more than 99% of other people.
43. "Blinding Lights" - The Weeknd
This sounds transported from another time. I love it. Also the most recent song that qualified for the list.
37. "Champions of the World" - Coldplay
I have a bad habit of predicting future singles with my picks. This is going to happen a few more times.
30. "Forgive Me Friend" - Smith & Thell
While Of Monsters and Men did make the list, this duo actually managed to out-OM&M them with a really catchy, folk-pop blast. The chorus is an absolute joy, especially the final rendition.
27. "everything i wanted" - Billie Eilish
I was going to snub Billie until this song came out. It blew me away, so much that it muscled its way pretty high on my list. It's the closest we'll ever get to a Thom Yorke song blowing up on the Hot 100, and I'm glad we at least have this in the meantime. I hope to hear more of this from Billie in the future.
26. "Under The Graveyard" - Ozzy Osbourne
I think if I follow through with my plans to rank 1980 to 2020, Ozzy's going to be the only artist who has a spot in every decade. There's a reason for this: the Prince of Darkness and his collaborators make killer rock music. Here, Ozzy infuses some modern fuzz-rock elements into his signature sound and Andrew Watt's guitar solo stands up to the best in Ozzy's catalog, easy.
20. "Disarm" - Silverstein
"Disarm" is one of my favorite songs of all time and any competent cover is going to get a free pass onto any of my year-end rankings. Silverstein's cover is, thankfully, more than just competent, it preserves the emotion while adding on influences from The Smashing Pumpkins' live performances of the song for the second verse and chorus.
15. "Circles" - Post Malone
The highest non-rock song on the list. Basically Post takes Tame Impala's sound, refines it, and polishes it into a fine sheen, making a superb alt-adjacent track in the process that deserved the success it got.
14. "The Runner" - Foals
This song did not deserve the snubs on Alt and AAA radio airplay it got.
13. "Rebel Girl" - Angels & Airwaves
Ditto. Also it and "Kiss & Tell" are superior to anything blink-182 put out in 2019.
11. "Pneuma" - Tool
I think with a bit of tightening up this great song could have been borderline perfect.
10. "Falling Down The Stairs of Your Smile" - The New Pornographers
I slept on this band in the 2010s. I will do so no longer. This song is great, and so is the album. The chorus is magic.
9. "Right Now" - Fire From The Gods
This is a band I have not slept on. They're talented. Watch for more gems from them as they continue harnessing their sound.
8. "Doin' Time" - Lana Del Rey
Confession: I hate the original song and I don't even like Sublime that much. Lana's cover not only is better than the original, but unleashes the hidden potential in the song as well, making it a melancholy, mysterious, almost hazy listening experience.
7. "Nero Forte" - Slipknot
A ferocious metal track with a fiery chorus that Corey Taylor almost growl-raps out in memorable fashion.
6. "The End of the Game" - Weezer
This is the best song they've released in years. It's melodic. It's heavy. It's dorky. It's everything I've ever wanted from Weezer. And I want that new album now.
5. "Longshot" - Catfish & The Bottlemen
I had to think long and hard about this one, because this was a great album and had several tracks that could be here instead. I almost regret putting the lead single here instead of an album cut. But the lead single is just that good.
4. "Running Up That Hill" - Meg Myers
The original by Kate Bush is an underrated classic. Meg's version is not only superior, but has the #1 hit status that Kate's original so desperately deserved. Even managed to cross over a little into Hot AC, hard for any rock or alt song to do these days. Meg's voice is simultaneously lovely and powerful, taking the song to new heights.
3. "The Laws of Love and War" - The Glorious Sons
People know them best for more bombastic rockers like "S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun)" and "Panic Attack", but those hits are merely exceptions to their overall sound, and only offer subtle glimpses at their true songwriting prowess. Here, on this stripped down acoustic track, we learn how excellent of songwriters this young Canadian band are, and they don't just show the potential for greatness. They're already there.
2. "Where Were You When The Sky Opened Up?" - The Dangerous Summer
A great punk band with many excellent songs over the years, The Dangerous Summer have given us another classic with this anthemic gem. I feel like every human emotion was poured into this song and fused together into not just a song, but an experience.
1. "Goodbye" - Cage The Elephant
A sorrowful, gentle, heartbreaking song about farewells, and, ultimately, acceptance and attempting to move on. This could have been a despairing song, but what makes this song beautiful and a classic is that the protagonist has already moved out of despair. He recognizes the relationship's failures, he and she both tried and tried so hard, but it fell apart and... he's not just ready to move on, but he already has, putting it all behind him. In a sense, it is as triumphant as it is melancholy, and this duality is so difficult to pull off in music, but it shows itself here. A great conclusion to a fantastic album that deserved its Grammy (though I would argue it should've won for Alternative not Rock, but that's another story.
I hope your new favorite song is somewhere in my list. Thank you for listening, and reading my ramblings.
I plan on eventually going back to 1980 and working my way forward, but for now, here's my favorite songs from 2019. I'm not going to make you guys wait with baited breath for the whole list at this point, so I'm going to give you guys the whole list in this post.
Some basic rules:
1. Singles released in 2019 from 2018 and 2020 albums are eligible for the list. Album cuts are from 2019 albums ONLY. For example, this is why "I Never Liked Your Friends" is not on the list, as it was released in 2016 and not meaningfully remixed or remastered.
2. I do have a rock/alternative/metal bias. Subsequently, anything not from those genres that make this list are really damn good and check them out please, thank you.
3. One song per artist only. The artist can also feature on one other song.
4. Release cutoff date was December 1st, 2019.
Alright, here we go!
Scattered Thoughts:
50. "To The Ground" - Death Cab For Cutie
If this had come out in 2018 this would've been in the 30s or even the 20s, but 2019 was a much stronger year for music, so it winds up here. It's the strongest song Death Cab's had in years.
46. "Father of All..." - Green Day
I interpret this as a Foxboro Hot Tubs track released under the Green Day name, which is probably why I like it more than 99% of other people.
43. "Blinding Lights" - The Weeknd
This sounds transported from another time. I love it. Also the most recent song that qualified for the list.
37. "Champions of the World" - Coldplay
I have a bad habit of predicting future singles with my picks. This is going to happen a few more times.
30. "Forgive Me Friend" - Smith & Thell
While Of Monsters and Men did make the list, this duo actually managed to out-OM&M them with a really catchy, folk-pop blast. The chorus is an absolute joy, especially the final rendition.
27. "everything i wanted" - Billie Eilish
I was going to snub Billie until this song came out. It blew me away, so much that it muscled its way pretty high on my list. It's the closest we'll ever get to a Thom Yorke song blowing up on the Hot 100, and I'm glad we at least have this in the meantime. I hope to hear more of this from Billie in the future.
26. "Under The Graveyard" - Ozzy Osbourne
I think if I follow through with my plans to rank 1980 to 2020, Ozzy's going to be the only artist who has a spot in every decade. There's a reason for this: the Prince of Darkness and his collaborators make killer rock music. Here, Ozzy infuses some modern fuzz-rock elements into his signature sound and Andrew Watt's guitar solo stands up to the best in Ozzy's catalog, easy.
20. "Disarm" - Silverstein
"Disarm" is one of my favorite songs of all time and any competent cover is going to get a free pass onto any of my year-end rankings. Silverstein's cover is, thankfully, more than just competent, it preserves the emotion while adding on influences from The Smashing Pumpkins' live performances of the song for the second verse and chorus.
15. "Circles" - Post Malone
The highest non-rock song on the list. Basically Post takes Tame Impala's sound, refines it, and polishes it into a fine sheen, making a superb alt-adjacent track in the process that deserved the success it got.
14. "The Runner" - Foals
This song did not deserve the snubs on Alt and AAA radio airplay it got.
13. "Rebel Girl" - Angels & Airwaves
Ditto. Also it and "Kiss & Tell" are superior to anything blink-182 put out in 2019.
11. "Pneuma" - Tool
I think with a bit of tightening up this great song could have been borderline perfect.
10. "Falling Down The Stairs of Your Smile" - The New Pornographers
I slept on this band in the 2010s. I will do so no longer. This song is great, and so is the album. The chorus is magic.
9. "Right Now" - Fire From The Gods
This is a band I have not slept on. They're talented. Watch for more gems from them as they continue harnessing their sound.
8. "Doin' Time" - Lana Del Rey
Confession: I hate the original song and I don't even like Sublime that much. Lana's cover not only is better than the original, but unleashes the hidden potential in the song as well, making it a melancholy, mysterious, almost hazy listening experience.
7. "Nero Forte" - Slipknot
A ferocious metal track with a fiery chorus that Corey Taylor almost growl-raps out in memorable fashion.
6. "The End of the Game" - Weezer
This is the best song they've released in years. It's melodic. It's heavy. It's dorky. It's everything I've ever wanted from Weezer. And I want that new album now.
5. "Longshot" - Catfish & The Bottlemen
I had to think long and hard about this one, because this was a great album and had several tracks that could be here instead. I almost regret putting the lead single here instead of an album cut. But the lead single is just that good.
4. "Running Up That Hill" - Meg Myers
The original by Kate Bush is an underrated classic. Meg's version is not only superior, but has the #1 hit status that Kate's original so desperately deserved. Even managed to cross over a little into Hot AC, hard for any rock or alt song to do these days. Meg's voice is simultaneously lovely and powerful, taking the song to new heights.
3. "The Laws of Love and War" - The Glorious Sons
People know them best for more bombastic rockers like "S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun)" and "Panic Attack", but those hits are merely exceptions to their overall sound, and only offer subtle glimpses at their true songwriting prowess. Here, on this stripped down acoustic track, we learn how excellent of songwriters this young Canadian band are, and they don't just show the potential for greatness. They're already there.
2. "Where Were You When The Sky Opened Up?" - The Dangerous Summer
A great punk band with many excellent songs over the years, The Dangerous Summer have given us another classic with this anthemic gem. I feel like every human emotion was poured into this song and fused together into not just a song, but an experience.
1. "Goodbye" - Cage The Elephant
A sorrowful, gentle, heartbreaking song about farewells, and, ultimately, acceptance and attempting to move on. This could have been a despairing song, but what makes this song beautiful and a classic is that the protagonist has already moved out of despair. He recognizes the relationship's failures, he and she both tried and tried so hard, but it fell apart and... he's not just ready to move on, but he already has, putting it all behind him. In a sense, it is as triumphant as it is melancholy, and this duality is so difficult to pull off in music, but it shows itself here. A great conclusion to a fantastic album that deserved its Grammy (though I would argue it should've won for Alternative not Rock, but that's another story.
I hope your new favorite song is somewhere in my list. Thank you for listening, and reading my ramblings.
